Nicolaus

In many ways, the last of the Seven Deacons of the early church in Jerusalem is the most interesting. From the book of Acts, we know Nicolaus had a good reputation, was full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. Luke also tells us, Nicholaus was not a native Jew. Like the Ethiopian Eunuch, who comes two chapters later (Acts 8:26 – 42), Nicholaus was a convert – a proselyte. Perhaps Luke mentions this to help prepare us for the spread of the Gospel to the Gentiles. Being a proselyte gave Nicolaus a special appreciation for the people of God and unique insights.

Later, twice in the book of Revelation, a heretical sect called the “Nicolaitans” is mentioned. Jesus tells the Ephesian church: “Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate,” and he tells the church in Pergamum, “you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent” (Revelation 2:14 – 16). Because of the similarity of “Nicolaus” to the “Nicolaitans,” many ancient writers believe Nicolaus the Deacon fell away and started this heresy in Asia Minor.

What was the heresy? Revelation 2:14 tells us they “hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.” (See Numbers 25:1; 31:16; 1 Corinthians 10:8.) The last of the Western Fathers was Isidore of Seville, who explained in his book Etymologies, book VIII, titled The Church and Sects (635 A.D.), “The Nicolaites (Nicolaitso-called called from Nicolaus, deacon of the church of Jerusalem, who, along with Stephen and the others, was ordained by Peter. He abandoned his wife because of her beauty so that whoever wanted to might enjoy her; the practice turned into debauchery, with partners being exchanged in turn. Jesus condemns them in the Apocalypse, saying (2:6): ‘But this thou hast, that thou hates the deeds of the Nicolaites.’”

Although I am not convinced, Nicolaus was the founder of the Nicolaitans, this explanation of what the sect believed is probably true. Christianity breaks from every other religion through the teaching of salvation by grace. Most people (even today) think you’ve got to be “good enough” to go to heaven, so the doctrine of grace is frequently misunderstood. “If we are freed from legalism,” they might argue, “then we are free to do whatever we like.” (The technical term for this belief is antinomianism. See 1 Corinthians 6) Some heretics, such as Cerenthus, even argued Christians should experience sin to appreciate forgiveness!

Many early Church Fathers linked Nicolaus and the Nicolaitans. Irenaeus (c. 130 – c. 202 A.D.) wrote: “The Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the seven first ordained to the diaconate by the apostles. They lead lives of unrestrained indulgence. The character of these men is very plainly pointed out in the Apocalypse of John, [when they are represented] as teaching that it is a matter of indifference to practice adultery and to eat things sacrificed to idols (Adversus haereses, i. 26). Hippolytus of Rome (c. 170 – c. 235 A.D.) agreed (Refutation of All Heresies vii. 24).

On the other hand, Clement of Alexandria (c. 150 – c. 215 A.D.) disagreed, as did Eusebius (260/265 – 339/340 A.D.).

The most likely explanation was that the Nicolaitans falsely claimed Nicolaus as their founder to give themselves credibility. History records Nicolaus had a beautiful wife, faithful daughters, and a son who followed in his father’s exemplary footsteps.

Parmenas

As much as we would like to know more about the Seven first “deacons” of the church in Jerusalem, for most of them, we are limited to knowing just their names. Parmenas is one of those. His name is a shortened form of Parmenides. The legends surrounding his story are too late and too conflicting to trust, but that’s alright. The scriptures tell us three things, and that’s enough. He was “of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3). Since we have already spent time contemplating what it means to have a good reputation and how we can identify someone full of the Holy Spirit, let’s consider the virtue of wisdom.

“Sophia” is the Greek word for wisdom, and it describes “the capacity to understand and function accordingly.”[1] Wisdom is more than just the accumulation of knowledge. It is the ability to apply that knowledge. A person might know a great deal and still be a fool. Much of the Old Testament is devoted to acquiring wisdom. The book of Proverbs begins:

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: 

   To know wisdom and instruction, 

to understand words of insight, 

   to receive instruction in wise dealing, 

in righteousness, justice, and equity; 

   to give prudence to the simple, 

knowledge and discretion to the youth— 

   Let the wise hear and increase in learning, 

and the one who understands obtain guidance, 

   to understand a proverb and a saying, 

the words of the wise and their riddles (Proverbs 1:1 – 6).

Isaac Asimov observed: “The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” So how do we become wise like Parmenas and the other six? Confucius said, “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” Terry Pratchett shared, “Wisdom comes from experience. Experience is often a result of a lack of wisdom.” On the other hand, I like this corollary: “True wisdom comes from experience, but it doesn’t always have to be yours.”

How do we know we have become wise? The color of your hair often reveals it! (“It’s not grey. It’s silver!”) I believe it comes as we meditate on our experiences, guided by the insights of the Holy Spirit. When we listen to the Holy Spirit, we may not understand why something is dangerous, but by faith, we accept his guidance, and, in time, we will understand the outcomes.

  [1] Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 934). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Timon

 History says, after Timon left Jerusalem, he traveled north to Bosra in southern Syria, where he preached and served as an elder. Tradition says Timon angered the pagan ruler of the city who had Timon thrown into a red-hot furnace where he died a martyr’s death.
 
Today Bosra is a major UNESCO World Heritage Site and was the scene of violent fighting during the Syrian civil war. The town is also important to Muslims. Bosra is a major stop for pilgrims making the annual hajj pilgrimage between Damascus and Mecca, and Medina. There is a shrine there honoring the mabrak annaqa (“camel’s knees”), “which marked the imprints of the camel the prophet Muhammad rode on when he entered Bosra in the early 7th-century.”[1]
 
According to history, Timon’s ministry in Bosra resulted in the conversion of the city to Christianity until the Muslim invasion in the Fifth Century. Again, sadly, other than one verse in the book of Acts, we know precious little about this man of faith. From the holy text, though, we know Timon was a servant-leader. He was willing to “wait on tables” if that was what was needed. He was willing to care for the helpless widows – Greek and Aramaic-speaking. No job was insignificant!
 
Do you remember the story of Jesus washing the smelly feet of the apostles? At the conclusion, Jesus told the Twelve (and us):
 
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them (John 13:12 – 17).
 
Timon was just such a man.

  



 [1] Downloaded from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosra

  

Nicanor

The seven “deacons” of the church in Jerusalem were chosen because of their good reputations and the fact that they were full of the Holy Spirit. Nicanor was one of those men. Like Prochorus, who was mentioned before him, Nicanor had an excellent reputation. We can understand what that means, but how would you know if someone was full of the Holy Spirit?

Nicanor may have received gifts from the Holy Spirit through the hands of the Apostles. Acts 6:6 says, “These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them,” and we know at least one of the seven performed miracles later on (Philip in Samaria, Acts 8:6 – 7) so that’s a possibility. But let’s discount that for a moment. The Jerusalem Christians recognized Nicanor was full of the Holy Spirit – that’s the promise made to everyone who is baptized (Acts 2:38). What did they see? The same things we see today in the life of a believer: change and growth.

The Holy Spirit produces fruit in the life of the believer (Galatians 5:22 – 23). Jesus told us not to judge other people (Matthew 7:1 – 6). Marshall Keeble agreed and wisely claimed just to be a “fruit inspector” (See Matthew 7:16).

Peter and John were tried before the Sanhedrin, and they recognized the difference in the apostles’ lives: “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

Perhaps people had seen changes in Nicanor’s life too. That makes me wonder as we close our devotional today, what changes are the result of the Holy Spirit working in my life? Or, as the old preacher challenged us, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

Note: We know virtually nothing other than what is recorded in Scripture (Acts 6) concerning Nicanor. I have been able to find three legends concerning how he died, and they all conflict. Some say he suffered with Stephen and was stoned in Jerusalem, but why wouldn’t the Bible mention that? Others say he was only injured and returned to his home in Cyprus, where he died. Finally, others say he died of old age in Jerusalem. I think we will have to wait until we meet him to know the rest of the story!

Prochorus

After Stephen, the first Christian martyr, and Philip the Evangelist, comes Prochorus, the first of the lesser-known “Deacons” of the church in Jerusalem. He is only mentioned in this one verse of the Bible (Acts 6:) but many legends are associated with him. These stories aren’t inspired, so we can’t be 100% sure they are accurate, but they reflect the legends of the early church.

We know Prochorus was a man full of “good repute, full of the Holy Spirit, and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3). Legend says he was one of the 70 Jesus chose to carry the Gospel (Luke 10), but he is not explicitly named in that passage. Next, the traditions said Prochorus accompanied Peter to Asia Minor and was made an elder in the city of Nicomedia. From there, he is associated with the Apostle John and acted as John’s scribe. Some even believe Prochorus was exiled with John to Patmos and took down John’s dictation of the book of Revelation. There is also a fifth-century apocryphal book, “The Acts of John,” attributed to him, but that is impossible, so let’s go back to what we do know.

As we think about Prochorus, I’d like to focus on the first quality of these seven men. They were “full of good repute.” He had a good reputation. I like what Henry Ford said: “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” Reputation is built over time. It’s about who you are and what you’ve done, so perhaps Prochorus had been a follower of Jesus. He may have been one of the seventy Jesus chose, and Prochorus even might have been one of the 120 in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost. People knew him, and they trusted him. Prochorus and the others were men you could count on.

We need to guard our reputations. Warren Buffett said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” What can we do to build our good reputation? First, we need to be honest. The Bible is full of injunctions not to be hypocritical, to keep our speech simple and our thoughts pure. Reputation is built on actions, and Prochorus was a man you could count on.

So how is your reputation? You don’t build a good reputation by trying to live two different lives. Like Popeye, the Sailor said, “I yam what I yam an’ tha’s all I yam.” George Washington pointed out, “Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company.” Finally, Thomas Paine observed, “Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.”

The Seven

Almost as famous as the twelve apostles were the seven “deacons” of the Church in Jerusalem:

“And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch” (Acts 6:5).

What do we know about these seven men? Stephen was the first Christian martyr, and this Philip overshadows Philip the Apostle. He preached to the Samaritans, baptized the Ethiopian official, and housed the Apostle Paul on his way to Jerusalem. But what about the others? This week, let’s spend some time exploring these good Christian men, but first, some background information.

Can you imagine the excitement of coming to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Pentecost? That Sunday morning, shortly after dawn, the age of the Holy Spirit dawned. The streets of Jerusalem were filled with the mighty roar of a wind – like the sound of a Kansas tornado – but not a leaf of a single tree was stirred. People fell out of their homes and followed the sound to find twelve Galileans praising God in a dozen languages from every corner of the Empire.

After hearing Peter’s sermon, 3,000 people were baptized, and in the days to come, no one wanted to return to their far-away homes. Their funds would have quickly run out, but the love of those first Christians made sure no one was hungry. It was a beautiful time, but it is said both guests and fish begin to stink after three days. It was only natural for squabbles to arise. In those days, there were two groups in Jerusalem: the native, Aramaic-speaking Jews who lived there and the Greek-speaking visitors from far away. Both groups had little, black-clad widows who stood in line awaiting the daily distribution of food. However, one day there was a misunderstanding, perhaps caused by a confusion between their languages. The rumor began, and it nearly split the Church.

“Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution” (Acts 6:1).

Misunderstanding can quickly become a crisis! The apostles could have given up their ministry of teaching and preaching to make sure the widows were fed, but the wisdom of the Holy Spirit prevailed. The Church chose seven men to oversee this ministry. It is a measure of their love that they chose seven men with Greek names to tend these tables. It was as if the Aramaic-speaking Christians said, “We didn’t do this intentionally! Therefore, we will choose Greek-speaking Christians to take care of the Greek-speaking widows and our widows as well!”

Love triumphed!

The Day After Pentecost

Peter was exhausted – but happier than he could ever remember. Yesterday was Pentecost, and the age of the Holy Spirit dawned. How did he feel the day after? Can you imagine just the logistics of baptizing 3,000 people? (Don’t worry. Archaeology has confirmed there were plenty of pools to baptize people in!) Still, if 12 Apostles baptize 250 people apiece, it was a possible thing. Of course, if it takes 5 minutes to baptize someone, that still adds up to over 20 hours of work! I suspect some of the 120 disciples in the Upper Room helped the process along.

What was left to be done? I’m pretty sure the day after Pentecost, they didn’t form a building committee, organize Life Groups, or plan potlucks! Those new disciples needed to hear the story of Jesus – what he said and what he did. The crowds met in the porches of the Temple to listen to the apostles teach just that. The Sermon on the Mount was repeated over and over. The stories of Jesus casting out demons and healing people were told again and again. It was new, and it was exciting. Above all, there must have been an air of urgency and excitement. A little over a week before, the apostles watched Jesus ascend into heaven. “He’s coming back! Are you ready?”

The priests, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees were frustrated. They had lost control. The love of the Christians filled the city.

“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:46 – 47).

It’s more than the day after the day after Pentecost, but Jesus is still coming back. What do we need to do to fan the fires of expectation and urgency into a flame?

Where did the Church Go?

  
This morning, I encountered a surprising statistic. “Most members of the Churches of Christ live outside the United States.”[1] The article went on to report, “Churches of Christ in America make up slightly less than half of its worldwide membership. There are more than 1,000,000 members of the Churches of Christ in Africa, roughly 1,000,000 in India, and 50,000 in Central and South America. Total worldwide membership is over 3,000,000, with around 1,300,00 in the U.S.”
 
I have worked for years with the Church in Korea and have often pointed out there are more Christians per capita in Korea than in America! South Korea, statistically, is a more Christian nation than the United States! I am preparing to return this fall to Singapore to work with SIBI – the Sunset International Bible Institute. They are training young men and women to preach in India, China, and Southeast Asia. They are doing a great job, and the Church continues to grow!
 
On the other hand, the Pew Research Center on Religion and Public Life recently reported:
 
The religious landscape of the United States continues to change at a rapid clip. In Pew Research Center telephone surveys conducted in 2018 and 2019, 65% of American adults describe themselves as Christians when asked about their religion, down 12 percentage points over the past decade. Meanwhile, the religiously unaffiliated share of the population, consisting of people who describe their religious identity as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular,” now stands at 26%, up from 17% in 2009.[2]
 
I’ve heard many people lament the decline of Christianity in America – and that may be true – but the Lord’s Church worldwide is growing. Maybe it’s time for them to send some missionaries back to us! 

  
[1] https://www.christianity.com/church/denominations/churches-of-christ-10-things-to-know-about-their-history-and-beliefs.html
[2] https://www.pewforum.org/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-rapid-pace/

A Really Bad Day

Yesterday, I complained I was having a bad day, but today I learned the story of Constantin Reliu, a Rumanian cook who has been working in Turkey for the past twenty years. The Turks deported him back to Rumania for having expired papers in January 2018, but when he arrived, he learned he was officially dead. It seems Constantin and his wife separated over her infidelity. He went back to Turkey, and she had him declared dead. Sadly, when he returned to Rumania, he tried to have his death certificate reversed, but discovered the time for filing an appeal had expired. He was dead on a technicality.

Officials measured the distance between his pupils and compared it to his passport. It was a match. They took his fingerprints, and they too were a match, but it was all to no avail. Constantin was dead. They had the death certificate to prove it. NBC News reported:

He has since been living a legalistic nightmare of trying to prove to authorities that he is, in fact, alive. He faced a major setback Thursday when a court in the northeastern city of Vaslui refused to overturn his death certificate because his request was filed “too late.” The decision, the court said, is final.[1]

63-year-old Constantin is unable to work. (Who would hire a dead man?) He is unable to return to Turkey. (They won’t admit a dead person.) He is in legal limbo, and his ex-wife has disappeared somewhere in Italy, perhaps with her lover.

I suppose my bad day wasn’t nearly as bad as Constantin’s! 

I will rejoice in the Lord; 
I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 
      God, the Lord, is my strength; 
he makes my feet like the deer’s; 
he makes me tread on my high places (Habakkuk 3:18 – 19).


[1] Downloaded from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/dead-man-balking-court-rejects-romanian-man-claim-he-fact-n857436

Working with the Spirit

Sanctification in Hebrew has two meanings. First, it can describe a shining, as when, after Moses met the Lord on the mountain, his face shone from the encounter. (Think about Jesus being transfigured.) Second, sanctification can mean a cutting, as in separating or setting aside.

There is one reason, and one reason only, why we should all be sanctified and holy, and it is this: not that we may be happy, nor that we may get rid of our problems, but because God is holy, because we are God’s people and because Christ has died for us and purchased us. We do not belong to ourselves. We have no right to live a sinful life.[1]

It is easy to discuss justification and sanctification as two completely different activities. Justification is the forgiveness of sins. It is the new birth. Peter calls on the people of Jerusalem “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” (Acts 2:38).

Are we sinless when we come up out of the water? Yes, absolutely! Does that mean we never sin after that? Of course not. The Apostle John warned, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8 – 9). That’s where the work of the Holy Spirit comes in. He is the power for real change. When Paul told the Philippians to “work out your own salvation,” he also told them, “It is God who works in you.”

What would it be like to receive John’s baptism without the Holy Spirit? What was missing from their lives? Paul noticed the difference in the Ephesian disciples (Acts 19:2). Isn’t that what we do functionally when we don’t grow in the Spirit?

So how do we grow in the Spirit? Think about these observations:

  1. The Spirit inspired the Bible (that requires us to read it).
  2. The Spirit instructs us (that requires us to listen).
  3. The Spirit brings us to God through interpreting our prayers, (but that requires us to pray!)
  4. The Spirit leads us (that requires us to obey).
  5. The Spirit produces fruit in our life (that requires us to grow).
  6. The Spirit comforts us (that requires us to be honest).

[1] Lloyd-Jones, D. M. (1997). God the Holy Spirit (p. 204). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.